And the drama continues...thank you all for reading, following, and reviewing :)

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

After their fairly easy conversation the night before, Han had expected the Princess to be friendly, or at the very least, less formal and cold than usual. But she had greeted him with the same aloof demeanor as always and it sent him into an ornery mood. He scaled back the spark of camaraderie he had been feeling towards her and remained cool and indifferent.

Leaving Chewbacca to guard the Falcon, Han was seated next to the Princess in a private shuttle that was transporting them to a safe location where they were to meet the Prime Minister of Commenor. Han was bored already.

"I would appreciate it if you would remain quiet during the meeting," she informed him in a clipped tone.

"No problem," he replied apathetically. "I don't care what happens. All I care about is delivering you back to the Rebels safe an' sound and getting paid."

When she did not respond, he glanced at her surreptitiously but her face was impassive. They traveled the rest of the way in silence.

Upon arrival, they landed on the topside landing pad of a superskytower. The view of the capitol city of Alphor was expansive. Han had never seen it from this height.

A modern, silver protocol droid, who was infinitely less annoying than Leia's protocol droid, met them and escorted them to a posh suite. It was furnished with several plush, comfortable-looking sofas, a huge holoscreen, and a long, fully stocked bar. After the droid left them, Han dropped down onto the sofa closest to the holoscreen. It was as comfortable as it looked. He grabbed the holo controller, turned it on, and started looking for a smashball game.

"Turn that off," the Princess snapped. "I need to concentrate."

Han's expression was incredulous. "There's nothin' to concentrate on yet."

"Just turn it off. You're not getting paid to watch holos."

Glaring daggers at her, Han turned off the holo. "Ya know, all work and no play makes for a cranky Princess."

She shot him a dirty look and massaged her temples.

Han sighed. "All-work kinda girl," he muttered under his breath. "Definitely." Aloud, he asked, "Headache?"

"Yes." She closed her eyes.

"I hear a nice massage is a great cure," he said suggestively, wondering where that demure young woman from last night had gone.

"I knew I should've left you back on the ship," she grumbled.

"Aww," Han replied in a mock wounded tone. "And here I thought we were having so much fun together."

The main door slid open and Han saw the Princess snap to attention. An entourage swept in, led by a tall, human male. It had to be the Prime Minister. He was younger than Han expected, with shoulder-length, dark hair, and piercing blue eyes. His lashes were long and his mouth was very full, almost feminine. He wore tight-fitting white pants and a white jacket with a large, pale blue collar. Han thought the fancy buttons on the jacket were a bit much. He vowed to never, ever wear anything that might remotely resemble the Prime Minister's getup.

Behind the Prime Minister was a gaggle of humans, most of them males. They were all dressed formally, but less fancy than their leader.

Leia stepped forward to greet the Prime Minister. He bowed formally at the waist, then raised a hand to take hers. He bent his head to kiss her hand. Han rolled his eyes.

"Princess Leia Organa," he declared. "I am Kristor Fernou, the Prime Minister of Commenor. I'm charmed to meet you. I had the utmost respect for your father. I am so very sorry for your loss."

Han had never seen her in full Princess mode. Even now, she was not dressed the part. She wore a green tunic, belted at the waist, black pants and green boots. Her long braid was wound around the top of her head. However, she maintained a regal stance as she inclined her head to acknowledge the leader of Commenor. Spine straight, head held high, chin tilted regally…she made quite the impression. If the Rebel pilots weren't already intimidated by her…they sure would be if they saw her now, Han mused.

Leia allowed him to kiss her hand and he continued to hold it as she spoke. "It is a pleasure to meet you as well. I thank you for your sentiments and for agreeing to this rendezvous. This is a vital time in the fight against the Empire." Her voice was deliberate and sincere, with a trace of an accent Han had never heard before.

He released her hand and turned to introduce his "cabinet." Han didn't even try to keep track of all the names. He realized abruptly that Fernou was gesturing towards him.

"And your consort?" he asked.

Han stood, laughing internally. He grinned at Leia and saw her cheeks reddening. For the briefest of moments, he thought her composure might slip as her jaw clenched ever-so-slightly, then relaxed.

Leia gestured expansively in his direction. "Captain Solo is actually the pilot escorting me to Commenor. He's affiliated with the Rebel Alliance."

Barely, thought Han. There was a lot more talking that Han simply tuned out. Then, they retreated to a large conference room off the main chamber, where more talking ensued. He kept his eyes on the Princess, enjoying the opportunity to watch her unnoticed. She was completely focused on everyone but him.

She really was striking, everything about her. He had been surprised to learn that she was the same age as Luke. He seemed so young and innocent, while she seemed more…sophisticated; galaxy-wise.

But, when he really looked at her, her face still held the glow of youth that he had long ago outgrown. He had probably outgrown it long before he reached her age. He recalled the radiant smile she had bestowed on Luke and him after presenting them with their medals. Between the dress, the hair, and that smile, he had been able to see the girl who had been forced to mature before her time.

His attention was dragged away from his thoughts when Princess Leia stood and faced those seated around the large, wooden table. The room hushed as she prepared to speak and she secured everyone's rapt attention without saying a word.

"I want to thank you all again for allowing me an audience today," she began, her voice strong and sincere. Her eyes slowly scanned every single being in the room, save for Han, who sat in the back, forgotten. "The time has come when we must all stand for justice. What happened to Alderaan could happen to any world that the Emperor grew displeased with." Her eyes lowered and softened, and her tone grew slow and somber. "Those lost with Alderaan were my family. My friends. Men. Women. Children who will never see adulthood. Innocents obliterated at the whim of the Emperor."

Han could hear the tremor in her voice and wondered if she was fighting to contain it or if it was deliberate. It was very effective.

Her eyes returned to light on each individual again. "The Emperor's tyranny has reached new heights," she said sorrowfully. "No one is safe from the evil of the Empire. The Rebel Alliance dealt them a harsh blow at the battle of Yavin. But, we can be quite certain that they will strike back. And when they do, we need everyone to stand together and show them that no. We will not be oppressed. We will not be silenced. We will not be swept aside and slaughtered. And what happened to Alderaan will never, ever happen again."

The room was silent. Slowly, the Prime Minister began to clap. Then another pair of hands joined his rhythm, followed by another and still another.

Until the entire room was standing and applauding. And dammit all to hell, Han almost wanted to join the Rebellion. He rose to his feet and clapped along with the rest of the room.

The Princess could actually be quite remarkable.

###

"I don't see why we have to stay cooped up in here all night," Han complained for perhaps the fourth time.

Leia looked up from her place at the desk on the raised level above the main seating area. The suite they had been granted for the next few days was luxurious. They were currently in the main chamber, a rectangular room with a sunken seating area that contained a fire pit with a holoprojector directly above it, and comfortable loungers surrounding it. Han paced the upper level.

"We need to lie low." What didn't this man understand?

"The Prime Minister gave us those credit chips. He told us to enjoy our time here," he argued.

Leia suppressed a sigh. "He also told us to keep a low profile."

"Yeah, a low profile. Not no profile."

"It's too risky." This man was so difficult.

"There're a hundred an' seventy two levels in this superskytower. It's like a huge city. What're the odds anyone's gonna recognize you?"

"I'd rather not find out." She turned to meet his frustrated expression and smiled sweetly. "Feel free to go out and enjoy a night on the town."

"I'm not leaving you here alone," he grumbled.

"That's a pity," Leia countered dryly. She glanced up at him and thought she detected a faint smile but couldn't be certain. It brought a slight flutter to her stomach. Why did it please her so when she managed to hold her own in a verbal battle with him?

He approached the desk, seeming to have resigned himself to being contained for the evening. "What're you doing there, anyway?"

"Writing a speech for tomorrow." She would be meeting with a new round of officials. Now that she had won over Prime Minister Fernou, she would have to sway the planetary governors.

He was quiet for a precious moment as Leia typed.

"You did a really great job today," he said earnestly.

Startled by the compliment, she looked up at him quickly, hiding her pleasure with a blank expression. "Thank you."

He nodded brusquely, giving Leia the impression that he regretted his words. He wandered to the middle of the room, descended the steps, and threw himself on a lounger.

"Hey," he called in a tone the Princess instantly recognized as mischievous. "Maybe I should light a fire. Make it nice an' romantic in here."

Her fingers halted on the keyboard and she looked at him against her will, stomach dropping out. He winked. Surely he was joking. He had to be. "I'll just leave you and yourself to enjoy it then," she responded with the raise of a brow.

He chuckled and Leia went back to writing her speech. She heard the holoscreen turn on but tuned it out. After a time, she couldn't think anymore and her eyes became tired of staring at the screen. She pushed the datapad away and rubbed her eyes.

When she looked to Han, she saw he had fallen asleep in the lounger while watching the holo. She rested her chin on a hand and took the opportunity to observe him freely. She always felt self-conscious watching him, afraid he might catch her, and then what would he think?

Exactly what I'm afraid he would think. Or rather, what he would know.

The simple sound of his voice electrified her. Not when he was being flippant and argumentative, but when he showed his softer side. Leia had first noticed it when his voice had poured from the comm during the Battle of Yavin. Her heart had thumped hard in her chest and, at first, she had thought it was simply from surprise. Later, it had been impossible to deny that the deep rumble of his voice alone could cause such a reaction.

Her eyes travelled the length of his body, his long legs, muscular torso, and broad shoulders. In sleep, his features looked so peaceful, without the shields he constantly wore to keep others at arms' length. Eyes closed, mouth relaxed, there was almost a little boy's innocence about him. Her gaze was drawn to his lips and she couldn't help but wonder if they were as soft as they looked.

Her cheeks colored at the thought, flushing her with embarrassment, as if he might read her thoughts, even while in sleep. She averted her gaze then forced herself to look at him again. She might not have the opportunity to watch him freely once again.

His skin was a lovely tanned color and she wondered if it was natural, if his entire body was so bronzed. She knew, from last night that his chest was. She couldn't help but recall the taut, smooth muscles that she had forced her eyes not to linger on. It had been an effort to keep her gaze from staying there and imagining that skin beneath her fingers. Now, her eyes were drawn to the lines of his throat, the triangular patch of skin beneath that ended at the dip of collar winding below his collarbone.

Her eyes flitted back to his face and she was shocked to realize that his eyes were open and he was staring back at her. She blinked several times before throwing her gaze to the floor. She felt her face ablaze.

"Enjoy the view, Sweetheart?" His voice was low and seductive and Leia cursed herself for being so careless

Trying to regain her composure, she forced herself to look at him again. That cocky grin was plastered across his face. "I was not looking at you, Captain," she told him coldly.

He made a show of first looking over one shoulder, then the other. "Well, I don't see anyone else here, Princess." He sat up and rested an arm on one knee.

Leia wanted so much to smack that smug look from his face. "I was just thinking and staring into space. And you happened to be there," she lied.

"Oh, c'mon. You can come up with a better story than that." His grin broadened.

"Think whatever you would like," she said icily, returning to the datapad. "Perhaps your ego needs a boost."

His sharp bark of laughter only fueled her anger. "My ego's intact, believe me," he smirked.

She didn't doubt it. She tried to read over her unfinished speech but found it impossible to concentrate. She was aware of Han standing up and stretching with a groan. He clambered up the steps and stood by Leia.

"You hungry?" he asked.

"Not particularly."

"Are you a biobot?"

Her head snapped up. "What?"

"A biobot," he repeated. "It's a droid that's a replication of a human. Totally real seeming."

"I know what a biobot is!" she said caustically.

He raised his hands defensively. "Sorry, Your Worship. You didn't sound like you did."

"Why would you ask me that?" she asked sharply.

"Well," he began in a tone that implied that the answer was obvious. "You're barely hungry. And humans gotta eat. You hardly sleep. Humans need sleep." He shrugged.

She stared at him in astonished silence for a moment. Finally, she asked, "Do you have a mental defect?"

"A mental defect?"

"Yes," she replied, as if speaking to a slow child. "A mental defect is an abnormality of the brain, rendering one either slow-witted or mentally ill."

To his credit, he smiled. "Well, I've never been formally tested."

She looked at him, trying to stay angry, yet couldn't help but smile back at his unexpected response.

He walked to the computer console on the opposite wall and hit some buttons. "I'm gonna order something to eat. What would you like?"

"Anything, I don't care." With the tension dispersed, Leia turned back to her speech.

"You don't care? What if I ordered you pickled rankweed?"

Her brow raised. "Were you planning on ordering me pickled rankweed?"

"No."

"Then I'm not concerned."

She saw a glimmer of a smile tug at one end of his mouth. Pleased, she returned to her datapad and her speech.

###

Leia's speech went exceptionally well and she worked the room, feeling confident. She stood, engaged in conversation with a group of politicians about the Alliance's need for a new base.

At the back of the large audience chamber, near the door, Solo caught her eye. He remained silent and indifferent throughout all her meetings. He never spoke to anyone. But, at the moment, he was leaning one hand against the wall, a crooked grin splashed across his face. Between Han and the wall, stood a woman who was smiling back and looking up at him as if he held the answers to all the mysteries of the universe.

Disgusted, she tore her gaze away but found that her eyes kept returning to the pair. She thought that the woman was the aide to Governor Seemor, of the Northern Region. She was tall, with long, wispy blond hair, and the longest legs Leia had ever seen on a human woman. The Princess was not the least bit surprised to see that a woman like that was Solo's type.

She realized suddenly that she had entirely missed the question from the representative of the Southern Trading Guild. She needed to focus.

Hours later, in the turbolift that would bring them to the level where their suite was located, Leia found her mind turning back to Solo's behavior.

She narrowed her eyes and placed her hands on her hips, facing him. "Captain, I would appreciate it if you could behave in a more professional manner for the duration of this mission."

"What'd I do now?" he asked defensively.

"Never mind. Just remember that we are here on business. Not pleasure." She turned forward again as the 'lift door opened. He followed behind her down the corridor and suddenly Leia heard his maddening chuckle.

"Oh, I get it," he finally said. "This is about that woman." He strode forward and walked beside her. She didn't bother to glance in his direction.

"What woman?" Without realizing it, Leia's chin raised to a more regal posture.

"The blond with the legs." His tone was amused.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Arriving at the suite, Leia scanned her palm and the door slid open. Solo was close on her heels when she entered.

"You're jealous," he accused.

She turned on him. "Why in the worlds would I be jealous?" She felt her cheeks grow warm. She was definitely not jealous, but she resented the implication.

His grin was infuriating. "You tell me."

"Captain," she gritted out between clenched teeth. "There is a time and place for everything. And this is neither the time nor place to pick up women."

He looked at her knowingly. "So, this is about that woman."

She gave a frustrated sigh. "Your behavior is a reflection on the Alliance. And on me."

"Hey, she started talking to me. I was just being friendly." He waved dismissively. "Besides, I don't belong to the Alliance. Or you."

Leia wasn't sure if his tone was challenging or defensive. "You need to be on your toes. You know we are at risk every moment we are on Commenor."

"The only risk in that room was me dying of boredom."

"Can you just do what I'm telling you?" she asked, suddenly tired.

"I don't take orders from anyone, babe."

"I am not your babe!" she snapped. She had endured Solo calling her all sorts of mangled variations on her title- Your Worshipfulness, Your Holiness, even Your High Exaltedness- but 'babe' implied a certain intimacy and she had to draw the line somewhere. She tried to ignore the tiny warmth inside that suggested she enjoyed the implication. It was inappropriate, at best.

"That's for sure," he countered, sounding angry now.

Leia placed her palms together in front of her face, as if in prayer. She closed her eyes for a moment, regretting that this had gotten entirely out of control. She took a deep, cleansing breath and looked at Han calmly. She was a diplomat, after all.

"Captain, let's just call this a misunderstanding and move on," she said calmly.

His stance was still offensive, hands on his hips, one leg steeped slightly forward towards her. Leia could see the wheels turning in his head as he pondered whether he should guard or let go his anger. Finally, his mouth settled in a grim line.

"Fine," he accepted. But she could see the hostility beneath his surface like a dormant volcano simmering back to life. He stared at her for a moment, then stalked to his bed chamber and closed the door behind him. He didn't quite slam it, but he did not close it quietly either.